Iowans will welcome friends and family home for the holidays this month to celebrate the joys of the season together. Kids home from college and relatives from far and near will gather under one roof to enjoy each other’s company.

For U.S. military families, the return of 45,000 troops from Iraq arguably wins the best homecoming present of the season. Nearly nine years after the war started in March 2003, American troops have fought to defend freedom and protect U.S. national security interests in and around Afghanistan and Iraq. The men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line in service to our country have earned a debt of gratitude from the American public.

The American public cannot afford to become complacent about the mission and contribution of the U.S. military. The military serves in many cases as the world’s first and last line of defense for freedom, liberty and democracy at home and abroad. Ultimately, it is the courageous members of the U.S. Armed Forces who serve on the front lines to protect our American way of life here at home.

Iowa has a long-held tradition of honoring members of the Armed Forces and the citizen-soldiers of the National Guard and Reserves. Local communities and veterans’ service organizations for generations have organized celebrations for hometown heroes deploying to and returning from military service, as well as memorials for those who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

In Washington, I work to square the needs of a strong U.S. military and the sacrifices of the taxpaying public. Recently, I’ve worked to raise awareness and increase federal help for our members of the Armed Forces who suffer from service-related mental health conditions and injuries. An increasing number of veterans return from the battlefield with invisible wounds. In 2007, I worked with Iowa lawmakers to pass the “Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act” in honor of an Iowa veteran who took his own life after returning home from active duty.

Seeking to help military veterans re-enter the civilian workforce, I worked to help secure passage this year of a federal tax incentive that would make it easier for small businesses to hire qualified military veterans. In recognition of their skills and service to our country, I’ve also called upon federal agencies to hire qualified military veterans. As a result, the IRS has hired thousands of vets in the last four years.

During this season of joy and celebration, let’s remember to salute the service and sacrifice made by America’s veterans and members of the U.S. Armed Forces. Thanks to their commitment to duty, honor and country, America continues to be the land of the free and home of the brave.

SPRINGFIELD, IL (12/16/2011)(readMedia)-- When Senior Airman Evan Stevens first heard the explosion, he thought it was incoming fire and a possible ambush, so he took cover.

Stevens, who has been a member of the 183rd Fighter Wing's Security Forces Squadron in Springfield for the past four years, was 100 meters outside the gate of Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan conducting a presence patrol early one May morning.

Staff Sgt. Russell Logan, of the 164th Airlift Wing's Security Forces Squadron in Memphis, Tenn., stepped on an anti-personnel mine causing the explosion. The field had been established as cleared.

"I didn't realize he was alive until I heard him scream," said Stevens.

Stevens was the team's lead combat life saver and with his alternate, Senior Airman Yanick Koenig, of the 143rd Airlift Wing's Security Forces Squadron in Quonset Point, R.I., together administered first aid to Logan.

"We saw that his left leg had been amputated by the land mine and immediately started going through the individual first aid kit for tourniquets."

They applied a tourniquet to each leg, said Stevens. Logan also had wounds to his stomach and other areas.

"I saw black dirt and a white light," said Logan. "I didn't know I was hurt, but only felt pressure."

Stevens and Koenig applied the necessary bandages and were ready to move Logan's stretcher when a second mine exploded. Staff Sgt. Ben Seekell, a dog handler from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina, had stepped on another land mine and lost his foot due to the explosion.

"We were a little confused and slowly began to figure out that we were standing in a mine field," said Stevens.

With only one stretcher, a couple team members, including Staff Sgt. Christopher Mazrim of the 183rd Security Forces Squadron, moved Seekell as the team walked a straight line back out the way they had entered, said Stevens.

"In those situations, seconds count and if you practice with your medical supplies and know where everything is, the better off you will be," said Stevens. "That day we learned that placement and practice is beyond vital."

Logan was evacuated to Germany within a few days of the detonation and had nine surgeries. He was released from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Oct. 11 and is back to work at the 164th.

Stevens, of Rochester, returned from his deployment in early October with his 13-man security forces team and reunited with Logan at the Enlisted Leadership Symposium in Nashville Tenn., Nov. 1.

"I got to see him again in much better shape than the last time I saw him," said Stevens.

Logan said it was one of the worst situations, yet one of the best things that has happened to him.

"It showed me what life really means," said Logan, who has a 21-month-old daughter at home.

The two Airmen plan to stay in touch and remain tied through their experience overseas.

CHICAGO – December 14, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today launched the Welcome Home Heroes program to promote homeownership for Illinois Veterans, active military personnel, reservists and Illinois National Guard members. The financing package is available statewide, and provides a forgivable grant up to $10,000 toward the purchase of a new home, as well as an additional mortgage tax credit up to $20,000 over the life of the loan. Welcome Home Heroes will make homeownership even more affordable for thousands of military families and create more than 400 jobs throughout Illinois.

“The Welcome Home Heroes program honors and celebrates those who safeguard our freedom by providing them with an affordable path to homeownership,” Governor Quinn said. “Our servicemembers returning home from overseas deserve our help as they put down roots in their community and begin building a civilian life with their families.”

Welcome Home Heroes is open to all qualified Illinois Veterans. Active military personnel, reservists and Illinois National Guard members must be first-time buyers. The Welcome Home Heroes homebuyer financing package includes a forgivable $10,000 grant for down-payment and closing cost assistance, an affordable interest rate (4 percent as of today) for a secure 30-year fixed rate mortgage, and a mortgage credit certificate worth up to approximately $20,000 for the life of the loan.

“Welcome Home Heroes furthers Governor Quinn’s commitment to sustaining affordable homeownership opportunities available through the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA),” said IHDA Executive Director Mary Kenney. “IHDA has helped nearly 60,000 low- to moderate-income families buy a home, and now we can help even more families attain homeownership.”

Welcome Home Heroes is funded through $5 million in Illinois Jobs Now! capital funds and $5 million from the Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Fund. In addition to creating homeownership opportunities, the Welcome Home Heroes financing package will stimulate statewide economic activity. The $10 million investment will generate an estimated:

405 full-time jobs

$16.7 million from real estate-related industries

More than $5.3 million in economic activity for the state

Additional $10.6 million in other statewide spending

“Many National Guard, Reserve and active-duty Soldiers come back from deployment and face hard times,” said Maj. Gen. William L. Enyart, the Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard. “Programs such as this homeownership initiative will go a long way toward helping these men and women achieve the American dream. They fought for it and they deserve it.”

“As Veterans transition to civilian life, the Welcome Home Heroes homebuyer package assists those who want to find a safe and affordable way to buy a home,” said Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs Director Erica Borggren.

Welcome Home Heroes program builds on IHDA’s existing affordable home loan program, SmartMove, also available through IHDA’s lenders. Income thresholds and purchase price limits apply. Administered by the IHDA, the package applies to 1-2 unit residential properties that are located in the State of Illinois and are purchased as a primary residence.

Interested Veterans, servicemembers and their families can contact a lender in their area to apply. The Welcome Home Heroes application is free. A list of lenders is available at www.ihda.org/homeowner/heroes.htm.

Four Central Illinois Businesspersons Recognized for Support to National Guard; Story by Sgt. Jesse Houk, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

SPRINGFIELD, IL (12/14/2011)(readMedia)-- Distinguished guests and prominent local leaders assembled at the Governor's Mansion in Springfield Dec. 13, the 375th birthday of the National Guard, to honor employers and their commitment to supporting the Guard and its missions.

"We are here to recognize some organizations that have been supportive of the National Guard; specifically units that are deploying to Afghanistan and we are going to give them the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Seven Seals Award," said Lt. Col. Tim W. Franklin of Springfield, with the Illinois Army National Guard and Program Coordinator for Illinois ESGR.

The Seven Seals Award represents the seven military reserve components: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine and Coast Guard reserves, along with the Army and Air National Guard.

The four who were honored with the Seven Seals Award for their efforts were Karen Hewitt, Outreach Coordinator at the Center for Global Studies at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana; Dr. Pinky Wassenberg, Dean of the College of Public Affairs and Administration at the University of Illinois-Springfield; Todd Renfrow, retired General Manager, City Water, Light, and Power of Springfield; and Dan Jackson, Sangamon County Division Manager, Allied Waste Management.

"The individuals we honor tonight provided members of the Illinois Army National Guard an expanded knowledge of how our units of government accomplish their daily operations in the critical infrastructure sector," said Franklin. "Their expertise provided a collaborative environment between Soldiers and civilian subject matter experts in the fields of technology, engineering, and culture."

Each one of the Seven Seals Award Recipients went above and beyond their occupational responsibilities to make the preparation training beneficial for all involved. Although the Illinois Army National Guard representatives collected priceless experience and insights the four honored also found the collaborative process to be valuable.

"We prepared the Guard for what they could expect and how to capture and benefit from it," said Renfrow. "It was a very rewarding experience."

"I did it because it's the thing you should want to do for the country," said Renfrow. "We depend on the Guard and the Reserves to bolster our safety and I would like to help them accomplish their mission in any way I can."

Also in attendance was Sergio Pecori, President and CEO of Hanson Professional Services in Springfield. Hanson was recognized this year as one of only 15 companies nationwide to receive the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

Support from employers is crucial for the long-term success of each citizen-Soldier and the National Guard and Reserve. The four honored professionals said they understand their involvement is essential to the success of the mission and are setting a high example for other employers to follow.

The Illinois National Guard will continue its birthday celebrations Dec. 14 in downtown Springfield. As part of the Downtown Springfield Inc. Holiday Walk, the National Guard will feature many of its capabilities, with hands-on, interactive displays open to all ages. Featured equipment includes up-armored vehicles, a M777 howitzer and the Engagement Skills Training 2000, which virtually simulates weapon-training, a Korea War-era vehicle and a World War I cannon. The celebration takes place from 4 to 8:30 p.m.

"Our veterans have made incredible sacrifices for our nation and after returning from the battlefield they deserve good jobs," Braley said. "I am committed to use every opportunity possible to help these veterans. Iowa veterans should visit www.veteranscareerfair.com to register and take advantage of this great opportunity."

Veterans are encouraged to pre-register at http://www.veteranscareerfair.com for the online career fair. During the career fair on Tuesday, veterans from across Iowa and the Midwest can log in and visit virtual employer booths, search for and apply to job openings, and chat with recruiters online.

Other states joining in the December 13th event are Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The Midwest virtual career fair is supported by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, the Military Officers Association of America, the Wounded Warrior Project, the Disabled American Veterans, and other groups.

Braley is the highest ranking Democrat on the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity. In October, Braley held a field hearing in Waterloo that focused on veterans’ economic opportunity and job creation, especially with regards to Iowa National Guard and Reserve members who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.